Institute of Development Studies

Biography

Rosemary McGee’s academic training is in multidisciplinary Development Studies, focusing on Latin America.  Her academic career is interspersed with several years of practice in northern and southern development NGOs over the past 15 years.  Since 1999 she has been a Fellow in the Participation, Power and Social Change team, coming to that post from the policy and advocacy department of Christian Aid.  From 2004-2007, on Leave of Absence from IDS, she was Christian Aid’s Country Representative in Colombia, managing a development programme with a strong human rights focus. Her work at IDS has focused on the participation of civil society actors in policy processes and governance, and the use of participatory approaches in poverty knowledge construction.  More recent focuses are research and applied work on rights and accountability issues in official and NGO development aid, and other contemporary challenges facing development NGOs.

In addition to the broad areas of expertise listed below, Rosemary also has expertise in the following areas: citizen engagement and action; NGOs and civil society; the nature of policy processes; governance and accountability; inequality and poverty alleviation; participatory and qualitative research; researching violence; monitoring and evaluation; South-North linkages and relations.

Rosemary is currently living and working from Spain and conducting research on the Spanish aid system with Spanish academic colleagues.

Selected Projects and Recent Work

• The Governance of Service Delivery
• The Development Impact of Child Sponsorship
• Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability
• Participation and National Policy
• Champions of Participation

Thematic Expertise

Conflict and Violence; Inclusive Citizenship and Governance; Participation Methodologies; Poverty; Monitoring and Evaluation.

Geographic Expertise

Bolivia; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Mozambique; Nigeria; Spain; Uganda.

Selected Publications »»

• McGee, R. and Gaventa, J. (2010) 'Review of Impact and Effectiveness of Transparency and Accountability Initiatives '
• Ling, A., McGee, R. and Gaventa, J. and Pantazidou, M. (2010) 'Literature Review on Active Participation and Human Rights Research and Advocacy '
• McGee, R. and García Heredia, I. (2010) 'Paris in Bogotá: Applying the Aid Effectiveness Agenda in Colombia', IDS Working Paper 342, Brighton: IDS
• Gaventa, J. and McGee, R. (2010) Citizen Action and National Policy Reform: Making Change Happen, London: Zed Books
• McGee, R. and Pearce, J. (2009) 'Violence, Social Action and Research', IDS Bulletin 40.3, Brighton: IDS
• McGee, R. (2004) 'Constructing Poverty Trends in Uganda: A multidisciplinary perspective', Development and Change 35.3:499-523, The Hauge : Institute of Social Studies
• Brock, K. and McGee, R. (2004) 'Mapping Trade Policy: Understanding the Challenges of Civil Society Participation', IDS Working Paper 225, Brighton: IDS
• Brock, K., McGee, R. and Gaventa, J. (2004) Unpacking Policy: Knowledge, Actors and Spaces in Poverty Reduction in Uganda and Nigeria, Fountain Press, Africa Book Collective
• Gaventa, J and McGee, R (2004) Unpacking Policy Processes: Actors, Knowledge and Spaces, Kampala, Oxford: Fountain Press, Africa Book Collective
• McGee, R. (2003) 'Legal Frameworks for Citizen Participation: Synthesis Report' , Logolink
• McGee, R. (2003) 'Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: a role for civil society?' in Potts, D., Ryan, P. and Toner, A. (eds), Development Planning and Poverty Reduction, Basingstoke: Palgrave
• Brock, K., McGee, R., and Andong Okech, R. (2003) 'Poverty Knowledge and Policy Processes in Uganda: Case Studies from Bushenyi, Lira and Tororo Districts'
• Brock, B., McGee, R., Adong Okech, R. and Ssuuna, J. (2003) 'Poverty Knowledge and Policy Processes in Uganda: Case Studies From Bushenyi, Lira and Tororo Districts', IDS Research Report 54, Brighton: IDS
• McGee, R. (2002) 'Meeting the International Development Targets: Uganda country study' Speical Issue :85-106, London: Overseas Development Institute
• McGee, R., Levene, J. and Hughes, A. (2002) 'Assessing Participation in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers: A Desk-Based Synthesis of Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa', IDS Research Report 52, Brighton: IDS